We have all seen the headlines about the enormous environmental consequences caused by single-use plastics.

A recent study found that more than 4.8 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year and that the figure could be as high as 12.7 million metric tons! If we use the average density of un-compacted plastic waste, 8 million metric tons, the midpoint of researchers estimates, there would be enough waste to cover an area 34 times the size of Manhattan ankle deep in plastic debris.

8 million tons is a vast amount of material by any measure, but to put it into context, this is how much plastic was produced worldwide in 1961. Showing the tremendous growth in the plastic use of the past five decades. 79% of all plastic manufactured in the past 70 years has been thrown away and ended up at landfill sites or the general environment, and estimates suggest that there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans by 2050.

With the situation only going to get worse if humanity continues down this self-destructing path. Wreaking untold damage on marine life and ecosystems. Action needs to be taken. But what is the solution? Large-scale removal of plastic marine debris is infeasible. Meaning we need to prevent plastic entering the ocean in the first place, through better waste management, more re-use and recycling, better product design and material substitutions.

With many calling for Governments and organisations to take action to tackle the problem – but at Prince William Pottery we have been asking ourselves what can we do to reduce our plastic footprint, here are our top tips:

Say no to plastic straws

Avoid excessive food packaging

Say no to disposable cutlery

Avoid microbeads

Carry a reusable shopping bag

Use a reusable coffee mug

Make your tea the loose leaf way. Surprisingly plastic is used to seal tea bags shut during manufacturing

By following these basic tips, you can help reduce your global plastic footprint. Why not visit www.promotionalmugs.com and pick one of our many colourful mugs to use as your reusable coffee or tea mug. While you enjoy your well-earned cup of tea or coffee, you know you are helping in the fight against plastic waste.